Ekiti Trains 100 Persons With Disabilities in Skills Acquisition Programme

The Ekiti State Government is currently training 100 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in various skills at the Skills Acquisition Centre in Ado Ekiti, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Adetoun Agboola.

Agboola disclosed this on Monday during a radio programme in Ado Ekiti, stating that the trainees are being equipped with skills in fashion designing, information and communications technology (ICT), hairdressing, and catering services.

In a statement released after the programme, the special adviser revealed that between 2023 and 2025, a total of 130 PWDs had previously undergone similar skills acquisition training and were subsequently empowered by the state government upon completion of their programmes.

She explained that the 130 beneficiaries received necessary equipment to practice the trades they were trained in, adding that the current set of 100 trainees would also enjoy such benefits upon completion.

Agboola stated that upon completion of the training, beneficiaries are empowered with start-up tools including sewing machines, mannequins, button stapling machines, and fabrics for fashion designers; laptops and printers for ICT trainees; generators and shoemaking machines for shoemakers; dryers, wig-making tools, and wash hand basins for hairdressers; as well as ovens, gas cookers, mixers, and pastry materials for catering trainees.

“The programme also includes internship placements with local artisans to give participants practical experience,” she said.

Community Engagement and Healthcare Access

The special adviser disclosed that the state government had carried out community engagement visits across local government areas, encouraging parents and guardians to enrol children with special needs in the state’s three special schools and the Government Therapy Centre for free education and therapy.

She added that voter education and sensitisation on free healthcare services for people with disabilities at primary healthcare centres formed part of the outreach, noting that food items were distributed to PWDs during the tour.

According to Agboola, the Oyebanji administration has invested heavily in rehabilitating facilities at the School for the Deaf in Ikoro Ekiti, the School for the Blind in Ikere Ekiti, and the School for Children with Special Needs in Ido Ekiti.

“The schools have been equipped with modern facilities and staffed with qualified personnel, alongside the Government Therapy Centre for Children with Disabilities in Ado Ekiti. There are 103 students currently receiving care at the therapy centre, located at the Old Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti, and many have shown significant improvement,” she said.

Talent Discovery and Mental Health Support

Agboola noted that the initiative has helped uncover talents among beneficiaries, citing the example of Master Awelewa Eniola, a student of the Special School in Ido Ekiti, who came fourth at a national arts competition in Abuja and received a cash prize of one million naira and a motorised wheelchair.

She also disclosed that her office organised a mental health programme for 300 women with disabilities in the state, providing free counselling and financial support.

The special adviser further highlighted that the Oyebanji administration has introduced a free healthcare programme for people with disabilities at primary healthcare centres across the state. Additionally, a new inclusive public school donated by the State Commissioner for Finance, Akintunde Oyebode, has been established in Ikole Ekiti to integrate children with and without disabilities.

She also noted that 138 amputees recently benefited from prostheses made available by a federal lawmaker from the state, the House of Representatives spokesperson, Akintunde Rotimi.

Government’s Commitment to Inclusion

Recall that earlier this month, the state government distributed food items and cash to PWDs as part of efforts to cushion the effects of economic hardship on vulnerable groups and promote inclusive policies.

Speaking at the event tagged ‘From Exclusion to Empowerment,’ Agboola had described the gesture as part of the Oyebanji administration’s commitment to the welfare and inclusion of PWDs.

“Governor Oyebanji places high priority on the welfare and rights of PWDs. This initiative was driven by compassion and genuine concern rather than political considerations. It is part of the administration’s efforts to cushion the effects of economic hardship on vulnerable groups,” she had said.

However, Agboola expressed concern over what she described as the poor response of some PWDs to government financial assistance programmes, urging them to take future opportunities more seriously. “Such interventions are meant to empower you economically and improve your standard of living,” she said.